Exorcismus DVD Movie Review

Emma (Sophie Vavasseur) is a teenage girl with more than a few problems, but when you weigh the moodiness against the eating disorder and the bad hair days, the worst of the lot is definitely demonic possession.

The film begins by showing 15-year-old Emma acting out after being refused admittance to a hot concert by her parents — she breaks a mirror and cuts herself, stigmata-style, and unwittingly opens the door to all kinds of evil. But at first, no one is quite sure what's gotten into Emma. Is she just faking, is she mentally ill, or does she know exactly what she is doing and why?

Eventually, after much death and destruction — and not a single spanking for her naughty deeds — an exorcist, Father Christopher (Stephen Billington), is called in to cast the unholy spirit out. While much of the logic lapses, Exorcismus is actually a decent, if somewhat tame, demonic thriller. The acting is quite good, the cinematography is smashing, and the eerie eyeball effects are tried 'n true.

While Exorcismus does play along to the wants of fans of devil movies, it adds a little extra drama by throwing some family skeletons in the closet when some of Father Christopher's past (oh, and did I mention? He's Emma's uncle). Doug Bradley, the "Hellraiser" himself, pops up in a creepy cameo, and once the actual exorcism commences you should find yourself reasonably invested in Emma's dilemma and will actually care how it ends.